CBSE restricts second board exam attempt for students missing 3 subjects

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has set clear restrictions on who may take the second board examination under the revised two-exam system for Class 10 beginning in 2026.

The board confirmed that students who remain absent in three or more subjects in the first examination will not be allowed to sit for the second attempt, marking a significant tightening of norms.

The announcement was made by CBSE Chairperson Rahul Singh during a webinar on the new two-board exam structure. He said the system was designed to support students who miss or fail their first exam rather than those attempting to bypass the primary assessment.

According to him, not more than 40 percent of students



appearing in the February board exam are expected to take the optional improvement exam in May.

The board stated that students must take the first examination seriously, as it will remain the main assessment for the academic year.

Anyone skipping three or more subjects in the February attempt will lose the opportunity to appear for the improvement papers. Students will also be barred from splitting their subjects across both exams or attempting to sit only for the second exam without taking the main one.

The scheme allows students to improve their scores in a maximum of three subjects, and only in papers where more than 50 per cent of the total marks are externally assessed.